ZEISS Compact Prime CP.3 and CP.3 XD Lenses

Tailored for today’s cinema and beyond.

Digital technologies have transformed traditional filmmaking and refashioned the market. New and innovative technologies in both production and post-production have paved the way for a more versatile, cost effective and advanced workflow. The ZEISS CP.3 family is the latest contribution from ZEISS to support creative and progressive filmmaking with an affordable, future-proof and premium quality lens set.

The ZEISS CP.3 lenses offer the perfect combination of high image quality and reliable usability. They exhibit the clean, crisp characteristics ZEISS is known for, together with an interchangeable mount system and full-frame coverage. The ZEISS CP.3 XD version features innovative and ground-breaking lens data technology to speed-up and simplify the workflow on set and in post-production.

The ZEISS eXtended Data is a unique technology which is based on the /i* Technology and provides information about the lens’ distortion and shading characteristics in real time. With the ZEISS CP.3 XD lenses, even small productions on a limited budget gain access to the advanced techniques common in state-of-the-art, big budget films, commercials and television shows.

Chemist - Artist - Architect (Behind the Scenes)

As a cinematographer who works in remote places with minimal setups, I have loved working with the Zeiss CP.3 series. The high quality images these lenses produce are phenomenal and the size, smooth mechanics and weight of the lenses make them ideal for everything from handheld to gimbal use.

James Cawley, Cinematographer

Overcome challenges

With lenses that truly deliver in all conditions

Sometimes work on set can get tough – beside long shooting days weather conditions can be tough as well. In situations like this you need cine lenses that are as robust as you are. ZEISS CP.3 and CP.3 XD lenses are built to deliver.

Before they go to work on set these lenses go through a long journey, enduring a battery of tests in our environmental lab. We stress test every situation: heavy rain, dropping, vibration, endurance of the focus ring, different temperatures (-40°C and +70°C), dust sealing, to guarantee a long life and full functionality of our cinema lenses.

We take the stress out of your work, and make sure you have a smooth shooting day.

Will dust and sand harm my lenses?

As every DOP knows, sand and dust aren’t friends of any optical system. Sometimes shooting on a beach or in the desert can be a dusty job. In our test lab, we spray the ZEISS CP.3 with extremely small particles of dust (talcum powder) for eight hours. That's how we ensure that they maintain their smooth focus rotation – which they are famous for – even when you're shooting in dusty, dirty or sandy environments. With this sealing test we are confident that the lens barrel is sealed and can withstand the smallest of particles.

Filming in humid or wet conditions?

Humidity, rain, cloudbursts – you can’t change the weather, but you can choose proper equipment for these conditions. ZEISS CP.3 lenses have integrated felt seals. These seals ensure that water can´t enter the optical system. Of course we recommend protecting your gear, but sometimes it is impossible to avoid some drops on the barrel. In our water resistance test, we make sure water droplets can’t harm the functionality of your ZEISS CP.3 lenses in any way. This is how we take the stress out of your work, and make sure you have a smooth shoot.

Going off-road with your lenses?

CP.3 mechanics are the result of knowledge gained by our mechanical designers over the last 90 years. We know that when you’re travelling with lenses, both the lens and its case can at times be dropped or subjected to hard shocks. Or even when the lens is mounted on a camera, sometimes CP.3 lenses need to be robust and very resistant. We test our lenses on a mechanical shaker with an amplitude of 1.6G, from 20 to 500 Hz and simulate a harsh off-road trip.

Facing extreme temperatures?

From Sahara to Siberia: the ZEISS CP.3 and CP.3 XD lenses can withstand even the most extreme temperatures. Today you are preparing for a shoot in Dubai, one month later maybe in the Rocky Mountains – with the crew and lenses facing very different temperatures and humidity conditions. We subject our lenses to a climatic test with extreme heat (+70 degrees Celsius) and extreme cold (-40 degrees Celsius). After passing this lens stress test, we guarantee full usability on set down to -20°C and up to 55°C. Now you can focus on your work – with full confidence in the reliability of your lens.

True cine look

The ZEISS CP.3 lenses feature advanced lens coatings, painted lens rims and special light traps within the barrel to eliminate unwelcome veiling glare and flares. The result is higher contrast, richer blacks and more saturated colors.

Compactness redefined

The compact and light-weight design enables you to use different stabilizing systems and to have a compact camera setup that is ideal for shooting in narrow spaces and for capturing dynamic shots.

Ultimate cine ergonomics

The ZEISS CP.3 lenses are a professional toolset that simplifies your work on set. They are easy to handle, allow for fast changeover of equipment and give you great creative freedom to make your ideas come to life.

ZEISS eXtended Data technology

Simplify and increase the accuracy of the image capturing and processing workflow. ZEISS eXtended Data unifies two data sets: key lens data based on the Cooke /i* Technology and the ZEISS distortion and shading lens data. After recording on set together with the video files, they can be applied in post-production for compositing for example by using the ZEISS developed lens plugin.

Brochure

ZEISS Compact Prime CP.3 Lenses

ZEISS Compact Prime CP.3 Lenses

ZEISS CP.3 XD, Supreme Prime and Supreme Prime Radiance Lenses

For the firmware update a special connection kit is needed consisting of the lens connector, a DC power supply, the RS232 plug and a USB /RS232 converter. This kit is available at the ZEISS Service stations and can be ordered from the ZEISS Customer Care Center.